Deck 8: Biodiversity and Conservation Biology

Question 1

Use the figure above to answer the following question
Direct consequences of biodiversity loss are ______________.

A) health and social impacts
B) increased human population growth
C) overharvesting
D) global climate change
E) loss of sources of medicines

Answer 1

loss of sources of medicines

Question 2

Use the figure above to answer the following question
More greenhouse gas emissions will indirectly lead to ________________.

A) loss of ecosystem services
B) globalization
C) an increase in invasive species
D) overharvesting
E) human population growth

Answer 2

loss of ecosystem services

Question 3

Choose the item that best matches each item in the following:
An area that supports an especially great diversity of endemic species

A)speciation
B)umbrella species
C)major species
D)genetic diversity
E)extinction
F)ecocentricity
G)biophilia
H)hotspot
I)community
J)alleles
K)extirpation

Answer 3

hotspot

Question 4

The greatest cause of the worldwide loss of species is ______________.

A) habitat destruction
B) water pollution
C) decreased soil nutrients
D) air pollution
E) anthropogenic activities

Question 5

The extinction of a particular population from a given area (but not the entire species globally) is called _______________.

A) emigration
B) evolution
C) extinction
D) extirpation
E) adaptation

Question 6

The greatest diversity (numbers of different species) of organisms can be found in _____________.

A) flowering plants
B) birds
C) mammals
D) insects
E) fish

Question 7

The IUCNʹs Red List is _________________.

A) a list of ecologically damaged ecosystems
B) an identification list of known species
C) a list of unidentified species
D) an updated list of species facing unusually high risk of extinction
E) a scorecard of international failures at conservation

Question 8

Choose the item that best matches each item in the following:
A population differentiating, over time, into a new species

A)speciation
B)umbrella species
C)major species
D)genetic diversity
E)extinction
F)ecocentricity
G)biophilia
H)hotspot
I)community
J)alleles
K)extirpation

Question 9

What is the greatest contributing factor in the loss of polar bears in arctic areas?

A) The tundra shifting northward
B) Fires in the taiga and tundra
C) The decline of lemmings; the primary food of the polar bear
D) Hunting of the polar bear by the Inuit people
E) Decline in sea ice

Question 10

______________ classify species using an organismʹs physical appearance and genetic makeup.

A) Ecologists
B) Taxonomists
C) Agronomists
D) Environmentalists
E) Geneticists

Question 11

Choose the item that best matches each item in the following:
Differences in DNA composition among individuals within a given species

A)speciation
B)umbrella species
C)major species
D)genetic diversity
E)extinction
F)ecocentricity
G)biophilia
H)hotspot
I)community
J)alleles
K)extirpation

Question 12

A population of birds is found on a remote island. Which of the following information is most important in deciding if the birds all belong to a single species?

A) That all the birds appear to eat the same range of food.
B) Whether they can breed with one another.
C) Whether the matings produce viable eggs or offspring of some matings are sterile.
D) That they share many physical characteristics.
E) That the males all sing very similar songs.

Question 13

Wildlife in the Serengeti is currently threatened by _______________

A) an overabundance of elephants
B) an invasive fish that has been introduced into the major river that flows through the park
C) plans to legalize hunting of most of the large animal species in the park
D) plans to build a highway that passes through the park
E) pollution from a nearby coal power plant

Question 14

A species of lizard has gone extinct. This could be due to any of the following reasons except _______________

A) climate change
B) inbreeding
C) increased genetic diversity within the species
D) habitat destruction by humans
E) introduction of a species that competed for food resources

Question 15

In general, successfully introduced non-native species experience _________________.

A) decreased biotic potential
B) competitive success against native species
C) increases in limiting factors
D) increased competition from other organisms
E) increased environmental resistance

Question 16

Changes in habitat have tremendous effects on the organisms that depend on them. These effects are _____________.

A) generally neutral; the variations within each species allow them to adapt very quickly
B) generally negative; the changes usually cause rapid extinction of most species
C) generally positive; the changes increase the habitat that is available for species to colonize
D) generally negative; organisms are already adapted to the habitats in which they occur and any change is likely to render the habitat less suitable
E) generally positive; organisms are already adapted to the habitats in which they occur and any change is likely to render the habitat more suitable

Question 17

Choose the item that best matches each item in the following:
Protected animals, such as tigers, that need large amounts of land

A)speciation
B)umbrella species
C)major species
D)genetic diversity
E)extinction
F)ecocentricity
G)biophilia
H)hotspot
I)community
J)alleles
K)extirpation

Question 18

Use the figure above to answer the following question
Loss of aesthetic and spiritual ties with nature would be less if we ________________.

A) decreased the rate of habitat alteration and destruction
B) accelerated globalization
C) do nothing to slow global climate change
D) had more per capita consumption
E) increased the rate of harvesting economically important species

Question 19

Choose the item that best matches each item in the following:
The loss of species from the planet

A)speciation
B)umbrella species
C)major species
D)genetic diversity
E)extinction
F)ecocentricity
G)biophilia
H)hotspot
I)community
J)alleles
K)extirpation

Question 20

Choose the item that best matches each item in the following:
The connections that human beings subconsciously seek with the rest of life

A)speciation
B)umbrella species
C)major species
D)genetic diversity
E)extinction
F)ecocentricity
G)biophilia
H)hotspot
I)community
J)alleles
K)extirpation

Question 21

Of the following, _________________ can change global species diversity.

A) extirpation and extinction
B) speciation and immigration
C) immigration and extirpation
D) speciation and extinction
E) emigration and extinction

Question 22

What is the value to a species of having genetic diversity?

Question 23

Contrary to popular belief, the Endangered Species Act allows _______________.

A) habitats of protected species to be developed or logged as long as no individuals are killed
B) international trade in protected species to aid in times of economic hardship
C) endangered species to be hunted as long as records are kept of numbers and sex of individuals taken
D) landowners to harm a protected species in one area if they protect it in another
E) landowners to kill endangered species for food if necessary

Question 24

Ecotourism _______________.

A) is a reasonable option only in impoverished countries
B) decreases biodiversity by selling souvenir organisms
C) increases biodiversity by introducing new, rare species
D) decreases biodiversity by causing increased speciation in environmentally sensitive areas
E) increases biodiversity by providing income to areas that might otherwise be destroyed

Question 25

What is the value to humankind of biodiversity in the organisms with which we share our planet?

Question 26

European rabbits were introduced into Australia and quickly spread, reproduced, and became a terrible pest. They eat up to $600 million worth of food and pasture crops annually, and have damaged the populations of many native plants and the populations of animals that eat the plants. Twice in the past 50 years, rabbit diseases have been introduced to try to control the population, with some success. This is a case where _______________.

A) climate change has decreased the genetic diversity of indigenous species
B) an extirpation has occurred
C) habitat alteration resulted in decreased biodiversity
D) an invasive species has reduced the genetic diversity of indigenous species
E) an invasive species has caused overharvesting

Question 27

A migratory bat species pollinates agave plants in northern Mexico on its way to the southwestern United States where it spends the summer eating insects and reproducing. Farmers spraying pesticides affect these bats, which eat the insects and also feed them to the baby bats. This could be the start of a story about ________________.

A) sustainable agriculture
B) an extirpation
C) threats to a keystone species
D) an umbrella species
E) insect biodiversity

Question 28

Paleontologists and ecologists agree that _______________.

A) biodiversity is evenly spread over the earthʹs biomes
B) extinction is tied exclusively to human activities
C) speciation is a major cause of biodiversity loss
D) 99% of all species that have ever existed are now extinct
E) more than 99% of all species alive today have been discovered and described

Question 29

The wood thrush makes its nest in woodlands in the northern and eastern United States. As patches of woods become smaller, increasing numbers of wood thrush nests have eggs laid in them by the brown-headed cowbird. Cowbirds live in open fields and are nest parasites; the female cowbird flies up to an unattended nest, quickly lays an egg in another birdʹs nest, and leaves the host parents to raise their ʺadoptedʺ young. Wood thrushes are decreasing in numbers because _______________.

A) cowbirds are an invasive species that is rapidly increasing
B) overharvesting in the open fields has driven the cowbirds into the woodlands
C) habitat fragmentation makes it easier for cowbird parasitism to occur
D) pollution of the open fields has caused a change in cowbird behavior
E) climate change is reducing nest site availability

Question 30

Of the following, _________________ can change local species diversity but not global species diversity.

A) extirpation and extinction
B) speciation and immigration
C) emigration and extinction
D) speciation and extinction
E) immigration and extirpation

Question 31

The species most often vulnerable to human impact is the ______________

A) decomposer
B) producer
C) competitive species
D) keystone species
E) top predator

Question 32

The causes of the current (sixth) mass extinction include all of these, but not _______________.

A) pollution from pesticides, eutrophication and other causes
B) habitat alteration and destruction
C) global climate change
D) earthquakes, tsunamis and forest fires
E) invasive exotic species

Question 33

In his recent (2005) book, Richard Louv maintains that todayʹs children _______________.

A) should not be exposed to the dangers of natural ecosystems
B) develop more balanced emotions in urban compared to natural settings
C) should not participate in environmental education programs until high school
D) suffer psychologically and emotionally from ʺnature deficit syndromeʺ
E) have a better understanding of natural environments than their grandparents

Question 34

The field of conservation biology _____________.

A) tries to conserve every species, everywhere
B) tries to increase speciation events in order to increase biodiversity
C) was initially viewed as too measurement oriented, looking at details and not at the big picture
D) developed in response to government intervention
E) attempts to integrate an understanding of evolution, ecology and extinction

Question 35

Biodiversity enhances human food security because it ________________.

A) is a potential source of new food items or new genetic varieties of existing foods
B) decreases the number of predators
C) reduces the number of pollinators available to any one plant species
D) means that there is genetic uniformity
E) increases the number of available pathogens

Question 36

Bullfrog tadpoles are often sold as fish bait, even in areas where they do not occur naturally. When people buy 10 of them and donʹt use them all, they often dump the remainder into the lake or river. This is an example of ____________________.

A) inbreeding
B) overharvesting of species from the wild
C) introduced species
D) extirpation
E) habitat destruction

Question 37

In 2014, the Endangered Species Act of 1973 is _______________.

A) being harshly criticized by the scientific community
B) generally supported by the public but is criticized as putting wildlife before people
C) being weakened in funding and enforcement
D) now protecting only 1300 species out of an original 3000
E) being repealed by the U.S. Congress

Question 38

The country of Belize depends on lobster for a major portion of its income, along with fishing and tourism. Over the past 30 years the average size of an individual lobster has dropped, even as increasing numbers of Belizeans buy boats, build lobster traps, and enter the industry. This is an example of _______________.

A) habitat alteration
B) the problems with monoculture
C) the effects of pollution
D) overharvesting
E) the results of an invasive species

Question 39

Removal of ______________ will always result in the greatest changes in an ecological system.

A) a producer species
B) a keystone species
C) a competitive species
D) a decomposer species
E) a carnivore species

Question 40

The Convention on Biological Diversity has goals _______________.

A) that include a set of international laws
B) that ensure the distribution of biodiversityʹs benefits to wealthy countries who can pay for them
C) designed to reduce biodiversity
D) that require biodiversity be used in a sustainable manner
E) spelling out future management plans for all biomes

Question 41

What are the major causes of the sixth mass extinction event, and why is it of particular concern?

Question 42

Read the following scenario and answer the question below.
Many biologists and environmental educators are interested in maintaining biodiversity in urban landscapes, where preserves or reserves are scarce unless land has been set aside for them in urban planning. Nonetheless, they have discovered that making even small changes in commercial and residential landscaping can help promote biodiversity. Some of the changes that have been recommended and are having success are using native species for street trees and for decorative landscaping, reducing pesticide use on lawns and gardens and reducing fertilizer use through composting and mulching. Also, managers of schools, larger businesses and residences are encouraged to increase habitat diversity by creating ʺlandscape islandsʺ that include larger trees surrounded by shrubs and herbaceous plants. Landscape islands ideally should include native species, mixed with exotic ornamentals at the discretion of the land owners.
In addition to the butterfly project, you decide to stop spraying the pesticides that control lawn pests. Over the next year, you notice that the lawn grass doesnʹt grow as well, but many other species of plants invade the lawn, many of them native species. This will result in all of the following, except _______________.

A) competition between the lawn grass and the new species that invade the area
B) an increase in bird species in your yard
C) an increase in pollinating insects visiting your lawn and gardens
D) an increase in herbivorous insects and the small predators that eat them
E) lower survival rates for the caterpillars and butterflies

Question 43

What is the Endangered Species Act? Describe one of its successes and explain some of the current controversies surrounding it.

Question 44

Is extinction natural? How has the extinction rate changed over time? Why are extinction rates today different than in the past?

Question 45

Provide several reasons why our estimates of species numbers are incomplete.

Question 46

Read the following scenario and answer the question below.
Many biologists and environmental educators are interested in maintaining biodiversity in urban landscapes, where preserves or reserves are scarce unless land has been set aside for them in urban planning. Nonetheless, they have discovered that making even small changes in commercial and residential landscaping can help promote biodiversity. Some of the changes that have been recommended and are having success are using native species for street trees and for decorative landscaping, reducing pesticide use on lawns and gardens and reducing fertilizer use through composting and mulching. Also, managers of schools, larger businesses and residences are encouraged to increase habitat diversity by creating ʺlandscape islandsʺ that include larger trees surrounded by shrubs and herbaceous plants. Landscape islands ideally should include native species, mixed with exotic ornamentals at the discretion of the land owners.
The butterflies you established in your yard are now thriving, but you notice that some of the caterpillars are suffering from predators and parasites. After some study and consultation, you decide to _______________.

A) give up on the butterfly species you encouraged and try to attract new species
B) resume spraying pesticides on the lawn
C) catch and kill the predators and parasites by hand
D) plant more host plants in several different areas but otherwise do nothing
E) spray pesticides on the plants to control the predators

Question 47

Read the following scenario and answer the question below.
Many biologists and environmental educators are interested in maintaining biodiversity in urban landscapes, where preserves or reserves are scarce unless land has been set aside for them in urban planning. Nonetheless, they have discovered that making even small changes in commercial and residential landscaping can help promote biodiversity. Some of the changes that have been recommended and are having success are using native species for street trees and for decorative landscaping, reducing pesticide use on lawns and gardens and reducing fertilizer use through composting and mulching. Also, managers of schools, larger businesses and residences are encouraged to increase habitat diversity by creating ʺlandscape islandsʺ that include larger trees surrounded by shrubs and herbaceous plants. Landscape islands ideally should include native species, mixed with exotic ornamentals at the discretion of the land owners.
From your experiences with the lawn and the butterfly garden, you can affirm that _______________.

A) once natural habitats are altered or destroyed they can never be restored, even in part
B) native plant landscaping can be done so that no predators or parasites are present
C) higher biodiversity of plants means a lower biodiversity of animals
D) native plants are more likely to support local herbivorous animals than are exotic plant species
E) pesticides need to be used to maintain a diversity of native species

Question 48

Read the following scenario and answer the question below.
Many biologists and environmental educators are interested in maintaining biodiversity in urban landscapes, where preserves or reserves are scarce unless land has been set aside for them in urban planning. Nonetheless, they have discovered that making even small changes in commercial and residential landscaping can help promote biodiversity. Some of the changes that have been recommended and are having success are using native species for street trees and for decorative landscaping, reducing pesticide use on lawns and gardens and reducing fertilizer use through composting and mulching. Also, managers of schools, larger businesses and residences are encouraged to increase habitat diversity by creating ʺlandscape islandsʺ that include larger trees surrounded by shrubs and herbaceous plants. Landscape islands ideally should include native species, mixed with exotic ornamentals at the discretion of the land owners.
Being interested in native butterflies, you include the native caterpillar host plants of several butterflies in your annual landscape design. You are happy to see that caterpillars and butterflies appear in your yard. However, the butterflies tend to disperse out of our yard. To keep the butterflies in your garden, an urban wildlife specialist suggests you _______________.

A) ask the neighbors to refrain from planting ʺbutterfly plantsʺ in their yards
B) place pans of honey solution around your yard to feed the butterflies
C) use pesticides to kill off predators
D) introduce native flowering plants the adult butterflies need for nectar, their main food
E) try to introduce predators of the butterflies

Question 49

Read the following scenario and answer the question below.
Many biologists and environmental educators are interested in maintaining biodiversity in urban landscapes, where preserves or reserves are scarce unless land has been set aside for them in urban planning. Nonetheless, they have discovered that making even small changes in commercial and residential landscaping can help promote biodiversity. Some of the changes that have been recommended and are having success are using native species for street trees and for decorative landscaping, reducing pesticide use on lawns and gardens and reducing fertilizer use through composting and mulching. Also, managers of schools, larger businesses and residences are encouraged to increase habitat diversity by creating ʺlandscape islandsʺ that include larger trees surrounded by shrubs and herbaceous plants. Landscape islands ideally should include native species, mixed with exotic ornamentals at the discretion of the land owners.
You also decide to greatly reduce the amount of chemical fertilizers you use in your landscape and rely more on mulching and composting. This will benefit your yard ʺecosystemʺ by _______________.

A) increasing the populations of butterflies
B) making habitats for pollinators
C) decreasing the plant biodiversity of the yard
D) decreasing the number of predatory animals and insects
E) reducing nutrient pollution in nearby areas and increasing soil organismsʹ biodiversity